One day, the owner was bitten while getting the horse out of the pasture.

The next day, the horse attacked him….and according to the owner, tried to kill him. That night, the horse was in the pasture chewing on its leg and periodically nosing the electric fence.

While rabies is rare, these are some of the hallmarks…aggression and strange behavior. The horse was euthanized and tested positive for rabies. Presumably, the owner is undergoing rabies post-exposure prophylaxis.

Rabies is nothing to play around with. It’s very rare in horses but endemic in wildlife so there’s always a chance for exposure in most regions. Rabies vaccination is a cheap and highly effective way to reduce the risk.

About This Blog

Worms & Germs Blog is an educational website coordinated by Drs. Scott Weese and Maureen Anderson of the Ontario Veterinary College’s Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses. The site was initially set up with the help of funding from City…

About

The Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses offers information relating to zoonotic diseases (diseases transmitted from animals to people), including aspects of human and pet health, infection prevention and control, and vaccination. It is located at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada.